Kenyan MPs Outraged with New Medical Scheme that Covers Only One Wife

Elected MPs with more than one spouse will have to bear the burden of the new austerity measures spelt-out by the Salaries and Remunerations Commission (SRC).

Unlike in the past, MPs with more than on wife have been told that the Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC) medical scheme will only cover the MP and a maximum of five dependents.

List of family members to be covered in the scheme include one spouse and four children aged under 25 years who are dependent on the MP.

Budalang'i MP-elect Raphael Wanjala , who is making a come-back after 10-year hiatus termed the new move unfair for those with multiple wives. Wanjala expressed disappointment with the new requirement.

"What will some of us with more than one wife do? It is unfair of Parliament to cater for one spouse in the medical insurance for MPs. It should have remained as it was in the past, when we were allowed to give the details of two wives and five children," said Wanjala.

Wanjala, who trounced Ababu Namwamba in the elections, however, went ahead to include the names of two wives in the medical form.

"Family is the fundamental unit of society. It is not only discriminatory but unlawful to discriminate against some family members. One person's spouses and children should be covered by the medical scheme," said a vocal MP from Nyanza who is also a lawyer and who did not wish to be named.

He said the new move was imposing restrictions on the medical cover for MPs and could be interpreted as planning families for them. He called on PSC to communicate with SRC to reverse the clause.

The Clerk of Senate Jeremiah Nyegenye, a PSC secretary, said that the clause on the medical cover for spouses came into effect after the enactment of the new constitution.

Nyegenye revealed that MPs and senators are entitled to benefits of Sh10 million per family annually for in-patient services, Sh300,000 for outpatient and Sh150,000 for maternity care per family.

"It is true, it was not there before the enactment of the 2010 Constitution. The medical scheme is the prerogative of the PSC, which set the terms and conditions that are currently in effect," said Nyegenye.

However, some MPs failed to see anything wrong with the new move.

"It is not fair to have a medical insurance scheme that covers only one spouse when it is a known fact that most legislators are polygamous. This is tantamount to breaking up families," said Sirisia MP John Waluke.

"In the 9th Parliament, where I was a member, the medical scheme in the National Assembly covered two spouses. MPs with more than one wife will have to adapt to the new changes as we have no choice," Mt. Elgon MP Fred Kapondi said.